Kirk here. It is taking an extraordinarily long time but some of the victims of the helicopter crash have been identified.
“Aoki Shinichi was named Sakamoto’s successor. A ceremony marking Aoki’s assignment was held in the GSDF’s Camp Kita-Kumamoto in Kumamoto Prefecture on Saturday.”
The NHK WORLD page contains a brief video report in English.
The accident occurred in the context of a massive military build up being pushed through by the Kishida administration in response to perceived threats from China, North Korea, and Russia:
Japan’s new military policies: Origins and implications https://www.sipri.org/commentary/blog/2023/japans-new-military-policies-origins-and-implications
